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My Dad Told Me Not to Talk About Politics… But Here We Are

Before I left the Netherlands to live in the USA, my father gave me one very specific piece of advice: “Never talk about politics in America.” At the time, I nodded, like a good Dutch son, thinking, Sure, Dad. Sounds like a plan. I’ll just talk about the weather and cheese.

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Why the Netherlands Is One of the Happiest Countries in the World (And It’s Not Just the Cheese)

Every year, the Netherlands pops up near the top of the World Happiness Report, and every year the Dutch react in exactly the same way: “Really? Are you sure?”

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Dutch origins in English

There are a lot of English words that come from Dutch, thanks to historical trade, exploration, and cultural exchange between the Netherlands and England. Here’s a complete and detailed list of commonly known English words of Dutch origin, categorized by theme

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Why the Dutch Almost Owned New York (and Probably Would’ve Installed More Bike Lanes)

Ah, New York City: the Big Apple, the City That Never Sleeps, the place where pigeons have more attitude than your average reality TV star. But did you know that before New York was “New York,” it was a humble Dutch settlement called New Amsterdam? Yes, that’s right! The land of bagels and Broadway was once the land of stroopwafels and… well, more stroopwafels.

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New Amsterdam: The Dutch Roots Of New York

Before New York became the city that never sleeps, it was a Dutch trading post called New Amsterdam. Here’s the funny, factual story of how it started—and why the Dutch gave it away. Introduction: Before New York Was New York Before skyscrapers, yellow cabs, and $8 coffees, New York was a modest Dutch trading colony […]

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Exploring the Big Differences Between the USA and the Netherlands

Cultural Values and Social Norms The cultural landscape of the USA and the Netherlands is richly diverse, marked predominantly by their fundamental values and social norms that shape individual behavior and collective interactions. In the USA, cultural values are largely characterized by individualism. This prominently encourages personal achievement and self-reliance, leading to environments where individuals […]

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